Volume 53, Issue 5

First News First June 2020

FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

Happy Pentecost! May 31, 2020 is the day we celebrate the working of the Holy

Spirit among us and within us. In Acts the Spirit arrives in a rushing wind and

flame, bringing God’s presence to all people. Paul reminds us that though we

each have different capabilities, we are unified in the Spirit that equips us with

these gifts. Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on his disciples, empowering them to

forgive sin. We celebrate that we too are given the breath of the Holy Spirit and

sent out to proclaim God’s redeeming love to all the world.

On the next page of this newsletter, you will hear the Holy Spirit working within

Kathleen in her decision to attend Seminary in the summer and upcoming school

years. We are sad to see her leave First Lutheran, but we rejoice with her and the entire ELCA

as she studies and prepares to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. We have all seen

the working of the Holy Spirit through her, and rejoice that she is answering this call.

I encourage you to consider how the Holy Spirit is working within you to be God’s message of

love and hope in our world right now.

As our county begins to reopen – we will be starting once again to have worship together in our

building on Washington Street. (The date and times are still unknown, but perhaps in time for

the Day of Pentecost on May 31, 2020.) However, worship will look and feel different than it has

in the past. The council has met to determine the guidelines we will have in place when our

county is allowed to reopen in the YELLOW phase. One of the guidelines will initially be that

only groups of 25 are able to gather at a time. YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE A RESERVATION!

Another will be that masks and social distancing will still be needed. There is a list of specifics

included in the newsletter. We ask that you use your own best judgement about when the time

is right for you and your family to return to worship together. We are considering how to best

have the worship continue on the website even when small groups resume worship in person.

Stay tuned – just like everything else related to the coronavirus, how we will operate may be

changing daily as well. Please be patient. Remembering that patience is a spiritual gift as well.

There is also information in this newsletter about ordering red geraniums to decorate our

worship space for Pentecost. The deadline is 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20.

Thank you to those of you who have been able to continue in your faithful financial giving during

this time of the coronavirus. You are able to either mail in your offering to the church office or

give it online at www.felcc.org . There is a GIVE button in the upper right hand corner of your

screen. Thanks to those who have shared a portion of your stimulus check with others by giving

to the pastor’s discretionary fund. The Holy Spirit is working within you as you contribute. It is

obvious to our community that we are guided by the Spirit of God as we share these gifts with

those in need.

I hope to see you all soon. Please know that you are in my prayers daily.

God’s love to you,

Pastor Jane Nicholson

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PENTECOST FLOWERS Orders for Red Geraniums to have at our Pentecost

service are being received. We will have the flowers on the video if that is how

we are still holding worship and we will have them in person if we are able to be

open for holding worship then.

Call (717-264-2015 OR e-mail FELCCoffice@gmail.com) the church office on

MWF between 9 and 12 to let us know you would like to have geraniums

ordered. Please do this prior to 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20. We are

placing the order that day.

Indicate your name

Indicate how many geraniums you would like to order.

Indicate who they are in honor of or in memory of.

Indicate if you would like to come by church and pick up the geranium or if you would

like for us to plant them in the rose garden at the church.

Please either send a check in the mail ($5.00 for each geranium) or go online to

www.FELCC.org Click on the GIVE button in the top right corner and then insert the

dollar amount that is owed for the flowers under the category “FLOWERS.”

May 11, 2020

Dear friends,

Grace and peace to you during this uncertain time.

I want you to know how deeply our ministry together has shaped my process of discernment and nurtured my sense of call. I am excited to be taking the next step in that path as I prepare to attend Princeton Theological Seminary. I have been accepted as a candidate for rostered ministry (to be either a pastor or a deacon) by the Lower Susquehanna Synod, and will begin my seminary coursework this summer. As a result, my last day of employment at First will be June 30, 2020.

I am so grateful for the time that I have been able to spend learning, serving, and worshiping alongside you all. I am devastated that I cannot make this announcement in person, as I had originally planned, and especially that I will not have the opportunity I had hoped to say goodbye to the incredible young people I have had the privilege of learning from and caring for over the past two and a half years.

Thank you for all the support, encouragement, and prayers you have offered along the way. I sincerely hope to stay in touch with this community throughout my seminary experience, and please know that I will continue to pray for you.

Peace,

Kathleen Getaz

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IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE? If you find yourself in need of food

or help with an essential bill, please give the church a call. This is what the

discretionary fund is for. 717-264-2015. Other resources are listed in this

newsletter as well.

Info & Ways to Help –

Many people have asked where to make financial donations and/or share their

Stimulus Checks with local groups that are helping folks at this time – here are a few:

Emergency Needs Clearing House through the United Churches of the Chbg. Area

(UCCA) By Mail: PO Box 1052, Chambersburg, PA 17201

United Way of Franklin County Covid-19 Crisis Fund:

By Mail: 182 S. Second St., Chambersburg, PA 17201

SCCAP (South Central Community Action Program) –

By Mail: 533 S Main Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201

NETwork Ministries

By Mail: PO Box 442, Chambersburg, PA 17201

Maranatha Ministry, Inc. 195 W Loudon St, Chambersburg, PA 17201

Chambersburg Hispanic American Center (CHAC) 252 S. Main St. Chbg., PA 17201

CHAC also needs masks, gloves, disinfectants for local residents –

call Diana Martes 717-504-7196 to arrange drop-off since office is closed.

Salvation Army - Are you looking for a way to help your community without leaving the safety

of your home? Here is a unique way to help. These links are a way you can purchase items for

The Salvation Army of Chambersburg to give out in our food boxes to the community. These

items will be shipped directly to us. If you have any questions call the office at 717-264-6169.

Thank you for joining us in this fight against hunger.

Central PA Food Bank

By Mail: 3908 Corey Road, Harrisburg, PA 17109

Websites with Compilations of Ways to Give and Receive Help:

Franklin Co. Housing Authority

Chamber of Commerce Community

Wellspan – Ways to Help (masks, supplies, food, blood, inspirational notes.)

State Health Reports (you can follow Franklin County numbers)

United Way of Franklin County Covid-19 Resources Hub – Coordinating Our Response! Covid19 Resources Home Click to find how to: Volunteer Get Help Donate! Crisis Fund

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STATE AND COUNTY ELECTIONS

June 2 Primary – Tues. May 26th 5 p.m. Deadline to Apply for Mail-in Ballot!

(And on the form, you can check to use mail-in for subsequent elections as well, e.g.

November)

How to Apply for an Absentee Ballot or Mail-in Ballot

A voter who desires to vote by absentee ballot or mail-in ballot must complete an application

and submit it to their County Board of Elections in one of the following ways:

1. Apply online at https://www.votespa.com/ApplyAbsentee. (Voter must have a PA Driver’s

License or PA Identification Card to use this option)

2. Download and print a PDF application and send it to the address listed below.

https://franklincountypa.gov/ckeditorfiles/files/Voters/2020-02-18%20PADOS_Absentee%

20Application.pdf

3. Call 717-261-3886.

All applications can be mailed to: Voter Registration Office, 157 Lincoln Way East,

Chbg, PA 17201, or faxed to (717) 261-3131

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Guidelines for Returning to Worship at First Lutheran

The earliest we will be re-opening will be on June 4, if we are deemed to be in the yellow phase as per our governor.

With this in mind, the first worship service that we may have in person will be held on June 7 at 9:30 a.m. (summer worship schedule)

1. As you enter the building, we ask that you:

a. Wear a face mask. If you do not have one, one will be given to you.

b. Sanitize your hands.

c. Keep 6 feet apart at all times.

d. Have your temperature taken. People will be at the doors to take temperatures. If your temperature is 100.3 or higher, you will not be able to enter the building and we suggest that you contact your doctor.

2. During the yellow phase, we are limited to having 25 people meeting together. So we will be holding worship initially in three different locations at the same time. We will be worshipping in the sanctuary, the chapel, and in the Fellowship Hall. We will also continue to have worship online.

a. If you choose to worship in the sanctuary, we suggest that you enter the building on Washington Street by the doors closest to the alley and immediately go up the steps to the sanctuary.

b. If you choose to sit in the chapel, we ask that you enter the double glass doors off the parking lot and come up the ramp.

c. If you choose to sit in the Fellowship Hall, we ask that you enter the building using the back entrance directly into the Fellowship Hall.

Please be aware that the elevator may be dangerous to use because the air does not circulate well and only one family unit is allowed to use it at a time. There is no thorough way to clean it between uses.

3. Seats will be marked with a 6 foot distance between. Please honor that distance and those markings. Be

a are that family units may need more space and are allowed to sit closer together, so take your seat

accordingly. Please also be aware that we are requesting that children wear masks as well. Please realize

that little ones may have a difficult time complying with this at all times, so choose your seat accordingly.

4. There will NOT be nursery available.

5. The restrooms will be cleaned prior to people arriving and after people have left.

6. The Worship service itself:

a. We will not be singing as a congregation. We have been informed that when one sings, the particles from their breathing are projected considerable farther than even coughing. This is very disappointing since singing is such a vital component of our praising God. Feel free to extend worship and sing your favorite hymns in your car on the way home.

b. We will not have Holy Communion when we first return. We recall that we are fed and nourished by the Word of the Lord, and that will be what sustains us during this time.

c. We will not be passing the peace or passing offering plates. We invite and encourage you to leave your offering at the entrance as you come to worship or as you leave worship.

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May Council Meeting Highlights

Resignation We received Kathleen’s resignation. We will miss her, but we also are excited

that she will be going to Princeton Seminary. The synod has confirmed her to enter into the

candidacy process to become a Pastor or Deacon in the ELCA. First Lutheran will remain

Kathleen’s “home” congregation, and we will continue to support her in the candidacy process.

PPP Loan First Lutheran received a loan of $35,000. This loan from the Government is

primarily to pay for 8 weeks of wages for employees. We are working with the staff so that no

loss of wage occurs for them, even if their hours were slightly lessened.

VBS and Lutheran Camping Ministry All Vacation Bible School and Camping Ministry

has been cancelled for 2020.

Copy Machine The new copy machine has been installed at the church.

Returning to Worship The information will be printed in this newsletter in a different

section.

d. Pastor will not be shaking hand or greeting people at the door as you enter or leave. If you would like to have a conversation with Pastor Nicholson, please call her to make an appoint-ment or just call her to say hello.

e. We are hoping to NOT use bulletins and have the congregational responses be projected.

7. We will not be having coffee or fellowship time before or after worship.

We look forward to coming back together safely to worship our Lord and to experience community in a fa-miliar way. This being said, please know that if you have hesitancies about returning right away – please stay home. We understand completely. You need to feel safe. I am not expecting large crowds the first cou-ple of weeks, because we are all feeling the need to be cautious.

The Worship and Music Committee will be fine tuning some of this as June 7 approaches. If you would like to help make preparations for returning to the church, please contact Pastor Nicholson. (Things like moving hymnals out of the pews, being a greeter, temperature taking, working with the video, working with the pow-er point preparation for liturgy projection, helping to clean or count how many are in a space.)

If we missed some significant pieces that you feel would be helpful to consider – please contact Pastor Ni-cholson, Deacon Freda Dorand, or Gerry Wilson (chair of Worship and Music Committee).

Be aware that each week we will be making adjustments based on the experience of the week before. Be pa-tient with us – as they say – we are all in this together.

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WELCA

Music Notes

Greetings all! This is certainly a different time in our lives. I pray that we all stay well

and that this will all pass quickly.

Each Wednesday, I have been doing a “Hump Day and a Hymn Tune Feature” for our

Facebook page and our church website. If you haven’t seen any yet, please check them out.

Each week, I research a favorite hymn and tell the story of the text writer and the tune

composer. They have been some very interesting stories to share—from a slave runner that

converted and thought that to be appalling to a person who was not a musician and relied on

composers to help him write hymn tunes.

What is your favorite hymn? Please let me know so I can feature it on a Wednesday

segment. You can email me at felccmusic@gmail.com , call the church office and leave a

message, or better yet, call my cell phone 717-360-1069.

God’s peace and blessings to all! Take care and stay healthy!

Freda

WOMEN OF THE ELCA

There will be no circle meetings in the month of June, since things are

still so unsettled due to the corona virus. Therefore, stay home, read your

Bibles and devotional materials, and pray for each other until we can

meet again.

STEWARDSHIP

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHTS

A heartfelt "Thank You" to all who have been continuing with your offerings these past

weeks. All the programs and needs that we support with our regular

offerings still need our assistance on a on-going basis. Please consider to

also contribute to the special offerings of World Hunger and Lutheran

Disaster Relief, which are needed to help people all over the world, as well

as our community, who are affected by the current situation.

Also, a "Thank You" to those who contributed to our Lenten offering project

of the Family Care Services. We did receive $300 for this program to provide aid to their

adoption services.

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STEWARDSHIP

Will COVID-19 help us become better stewards?

Toilet paper. Seriously. Will we ever take lowly “TP” for granted

again?

Toilet paper is just one of the countless everyday blessings that

the pain of COVID-19 has taught us to savor – along with

worshiping beside loved ones, going to work, getting paid,

shopping, going to the movies, and on and on. (What’s on your

list?)

Pain teaches us, focuses us, molds us. Pain strips away

pretensions and defenses. Pain shows us what’s real, what’s true, what’s valuable. Pain

cleanses our spirit and draws us closer to God.

Easter reminds us that our faith journey is all about death and rebirth. Explaining baptism in

The Small Catechism, Martin Luther taught that baptism’s waters must daily drown our old

sinful self, so that daily we may be born anew. As we walk in God’s sanctifying light, parts of us

should be dying daily and being reborn.

Pain? It serves as midwife in our death and rebirth.

And COVID-19 has given us pain aplenty, far beyond the shortage of bathroom supplies. Many

have lost loved ones, jobs, security, healthcare, homes, retirement, wellbeing and relationships.

Pain will be long with us as we slowly inch back towards normalcy. But “normal” will probably

look much different than what we’ve known. A “new normal” is already emerging. Do you sense

it? That the pandemic has changed you? Us? Forever?

With the Holy Spirit’s help, may COVID-19’s pain prune from our lives what needs to die in

order for us to be reborn as God’s people in this “new normal.” May the “new normal” find us

better stewards of our lives -- less greedy, less self-focused, less preoccupied with silly things,

and more centered in Christ, more loving to our neighbor, more generous, more hopeful and

more tolerant.

--Rob Blezard

Copyright © 2020, Rev. Robert Blezard. Pastor Blezard serves as an assistant to the bishop of the

Lower Susquehanna Synod, ELCA, and works as content editor for www.stewardshipoflife.org.

He blogs at www.thestewardshipguy.com.

May 17, 2020 (Sixth Sunday of Easter)

John 14:15 - “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Jesus connects love to action in today’s gospel. Loving Jesus means loving God and neighbor and

following the way of Christ. And as we do, the Spirit of truth guides us and helps us be better

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STEWARDSHIP

COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

April:

Discussion - on how to operate when we return to church

Wages – submitted a loan application to Government PPP Program. Low interest loan.

Need to use 75% on payroll any left over for utilities.

Request for Donations - SpiriTrust Lutheran asking for donations for protective items

for their employees. The Benevolence fund from Social Missions will be used to give $500

to SpiriTrust.

Youth Report—Thinking about VBS and a plan in case we need to reschedule.

Some encouraging words from Mother Teresa -

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.

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IDEAS WELCOME

The Neighborhood Task Team would welcome any ideas that you

may have of ways that we can connect with and serve our neighbors.

Please join us for any of our events. You do not have to be a member

of the Task Team to volunteer at an event.

Come and get to know our neighbors!

Contact Mary Gotwald or Nancy Fricke.

NEIGHBORHOOD TASK TEAM

Sharing God’s love in our community

Winter Coats—The Neighborhood Task Team is again

planning to host a Mega Event Giveaway in the beginning of

November 2020. Winter coats are a big need for our neighbors

especially for the children. At the 2019 Mega Event the

children’s coats were snagged up quickly and we had many

inquiries about them throughout the event. Right now sales on

winter items are happening in the stores and in the thrift stores. Please consider doing a

little shopping or asking friends and neighbors who may have winter items to pass on. We are

also collecting clothing, socks, shoes, bedding, towels/wash cloths, hats/scarves/gloves/mittens

and children’s books. Please wash items before donating and mark your donation bag/box that

they are clean. The team will accept donations from March 1-June 1 and then again in

September and October. So, as you are finding items to pass along please set them aside to

help our neighbors. First Lutheran is a blessing to our community. Thanks be to God who is

working through you. If you have questions or need help in delivering a donation to First

contact Mary Gotwald at 717-264-4759.

The bright red box out front is a distribution for personal care items for our

neighbors.

When you are out shopping please remember to purchase a few items to share

with our neighbors.

Helpful items include: shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and brushes, toilet paper, tissues,

soap, dish detergent, laundry detergent, Band-Aids, etc.

As soon as the box is filled, it is soon emptied. It seems that our neighbors depend on this

assistance from us. Thank you for being a part of sharing with our neighbors.

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PRAYER CHAIN

May we include you in our

prayers? Do you have a prayer

need that we can help you with?

If so, please call our prayer–

chain group leader:

Marcia Hunt @

717-263-0781

Names are kept on the prayer

chain for 1 month. After that

month, please contact the office

again if you would like to have a

name on for another month.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Those in nursing homes:

Sandy C. (and husband, Will)

Ernie F. (and wife, Nancy)

John N.

Elva K.

Evelyn S.

Skip S.

Those who are sick or injured:

Aloma D.

Rob H. (5/12)

Joe H. (5/27)

Jeff L. (5/11)

Nancy J.

Hilda K.

Barbara Reesey (6/12)

Joanie T. (5/12)

Marilyn Y. (6/2)

James W.

Those serving our Country: Private Parker Brown

Dr. Ryan McCort (In Army Reserve and serving in NYC)

Congratulations to Alexis Love, graduating from Arcadia College, and Sloan Huber, graduating from Chambersburg Area Senior High School! May God go with you into the next phase of your life. The First Lutheran community loves you, is proud of you, and is always praying for you.

Please feel free to send personal congratulations to our graduates! You may call the church office

for contact information.

We keep in our prayers the families of Becky Leeper, Dan Savary, and Skip Stake.

Church picnic has

been canceled for

2020.

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SpiriTrust Lutheran

Thank You

Discount Card Fundraiser is Back!

The SpiriTrust Lutheran Chambersburg

Auxiliary will again be selling discount cards

beginning sometime in March. Each card will

feature discounts from local merchants. To

receive the discount shown on the card, simply

present the card when making your purchase.

The cost of each card is $5.00. To purchase

cards, please contact Tudy Gates or Mary Beth

McGraw-Warne.

Dear Congregation:

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ:

We wish to thank you for contributing to our

Organization with your contribution of $500.00

for our 2020 Summer Educational Enrichment

& Nutritional Program. Your donation shall

assist us with providing a comprehensive

nutrition, educational enrichment, character

building, and recreational program for the

children residing within the Borough of

Chambersburg, and Franklin County.

Sincerely yours,

J.V. Jones, President,

Board of Directors, Bopic, Inc.

Dear Pastor Nicholson,

In this extraordinary time, we deeply value

your recent contribution of $500 to purchase

masks for SpiriTrust Lutheran. In midst of

uncertainty, you are helping to sustain our

mission, making a critical difference for

every person we service.

Our team is currently working remotely,

keeping health and safety at the forefront;

our thanks is therefore less prompt and

personal than we wish.

On behalf of the whole team at SpiriTrust

Lutheran, thank you!

With gratitude,

Emily Clarke, Vice President of Philanthropy

July Newsletter

June 15

TRANSPORTATION

Need a Ride? Our church provides transportation to

church on Sundays! We don’t want to

miss anyone who would like to join us!

Please call if you need a ride.

Church office: 717-264-2015

HELPING HANDS

@FirstEvangelicalLutheran-

Church

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HOSPITALIZATION

If someone you know from our church

is hospitalized please

contact Pastor Nicholson

to let her know by calling

717-264-2015 ext.4 or email

flcpastor@outlook.com. If this is an

emergency—feel free to

contact Pastor Nicholson at home

717-753-3940.

Council

President: Tom Kriner

Vice President: Tim Gotwald

Secretary: Gertrude Kampmeyer

Pastor

Jane Nicholson

Barb Evans

Tim Gotwald

Dorothy Hammer

Robert Hammer

Warren Heintzelman

Gertrude Kampmeyer

Tom Kriner

Mary Beth McGraw-Warne

Joyce Ray

Tedd Sloan

Treasurer: Sally Herritt

Financial Secretary: Carol McCoy

Taylor Rote 5/3 Andrew Grove 5/17

Beverly Umbrell 5/4 Robert Herbert 5/17

Kashton Peters 5/6 Pamela Dent-Kelly 5/19

John Saunders 5/7 Nancy Jacobs 5/19

Susie Heintzelman 5/9 Jessica Starr 5/19

Pauline Shearer 5/9 Linda Miller 5/20

Grayson Peters 5/11 Dia Schumacher 5/20

Kirk Umbrell 5/11 Benjamin Ellis 5/24

Seth Cody 5/13 Ashley Wenger 5/24

Payton Huber 5/14 Thomas Burkey 5/27

Kayleigh Warne 5/14 Sammi Hefner 5/27

Kim Wertz 5/14 Coleton Rankin 5/31

Katy Hamilton 5/15

HELPING HANDS

May

June Diehl 6/1 J. Preston Friend 6/19

Martha Umbrell 6/3 Monica Willits 6/21

Robert Willits 6/4 Gerald Forrester 6/22

Shirley Pugh 6/5 Joshua Dorand 6/23

Beverly Rebok 6/5 Chad Lensbower 6/23

Hank Stouffer 6/5 Charles Ulrich 6/23

Amber McCoy 6/13 Faye Ulrich 6/23

Gregory Plasterer 6/14 Sharon Hammond 6/24

Nancy Hamilton 6/15 Dennis Love 6/24

Thomas Kriner 6/15 Ashley Peters 6/26

John Sekel 6/15 Karen Naus 6/27

Kristen Potts 6/16 Blaine Wilson 6/27

Jean Reed 6/18 Dale Forrester 6/29

Diana Umbrell 6/18

June

14

NON-PROFIT

ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

CHAMBERSBURG, PA.

PERMIT NO. 137

DATED MATERIAL—PLEASE DO NOT DELAY

Church Office Hours Monday-Thursday

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

CHURCH OFFICE 717-264-2015

Parish Administrator ext. 1

Children, Youth, & Family ext. 2

Director of Music ext. 3

Pastor ext. 4

FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

43 W. Washington Street Chambersburg, PA 17201 E-mail: felccoffice@gmail.com Website: www.felcc.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

@FirstEvangelicalLutheranChurch

@felccyouth

May 31 is PENTECOST

The Holy Spirit is Alive and Well

Whether we are worshipping together on

Washington Street or at home via video –

You are encouraged to WEAR RED (and

you thought I was going to say – wear a

mask – didn’t you!)

Details to order geraniums inside this newsletter.